helping typhoon victims essay

The urgent need for humanitarian assistance intensifies with famine imminent in Gaza.

Reflections on helping typhoon survivors in Tacloban

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Dewi Hanifah is a member of our Indonesia Response Team, members of which are trained to respond to the many natural disasters that strike this region of southeast Asia. She was one of the first Mercy Corps responders on the ground in the Philippines and has been the head of our emergency distributions in the weeks since Typhoon Haiyan.

On a recent break from field visits, she wrote about her experience in the early days after the storm.

I arrived in the Philippines a few weeks ago. It had only been a few days since Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as “Yolanda”) blasted through the eastern Visayas region of the Philippines, and I was headed to Tacloban — one of the hardest hit areas.

As our plane from Cebu approached Tacloban Airport a few hours after sunrise, the memories of previous natural disasters ran through my head: “It’s just like the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and the Haiti earthquake in 2010.”

As an Emergency Program Manager for Mercy Corps, I am tasked to respond to humanitarian crises. Before Haiyan I had been deployed to the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia, where hundreds had died and thousands had been displaced in 2010 by a deadly combination of tsunami, multiple earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

“You’re not new to this kind of catastrophe,” I told myself repeatedly, just as the wheels of the plane bumped against the runway and screeched to a full stop.

The skeletal remains of Tacloban Airport signaled to me and my colleague, Alan Habinada, a native of Tacloban, that there would be worse things to come.

Alan was coming home for the first time since the typhoon-ravaged his hometown. I was accompanying him to bring much-needed relief assistance to his mother, extended family and many more families in his neighborhood, as well as to conduct an assessment of the needs in the area.

The 15-minute car ride from the airport to Alan’s neighborhood felt like driving through miles of wasteland.

Overturned cars hung precariously on rubbish piles pushed to the side of the road. Ruins of decimated buildings and houses stood stripped of roofs, walls, and any semblance that they had been inhabited by people just several days ago.

When we reached Alan’s village we were welcomed with smiles and a collective sigh of relief. It was the first time Alan had seen his family and friends since the typhoon struck.

Everyone was grateful for the relief packs I distributed. Alan’s mother had stocked up on water, rice, and canned goods upon hearing the weather warning, but the family’s supply — especially of drinking water — was nearly finished by the time we arrived.

For Alan, the joy of embracing his mother and relatives, who survived the deadly force of Typhoon Haiyan, was short-lived. He had to move on to the next purpose of his visit: to search for his missing fiancée and her family. They had not been heard from since the typhoon hit, and everyone feared the worst.

Like Alan, I also had to focus on my second objective: to assess how Mercy Corps can help the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, in the initial emergency response phase, as well as through early recovery, reconstruction and beyond.

It was at this point that Alan and I began our arduous trek across the havoc-stricken city of Tacloban. As we traveled through the city, the putrid scent of decay became palpable.

Body bags were strewn around on clearings and pathways. Houses, trees and lampposts, which once stood tall along the shores, were reduced to rows and rows of rubbish and rubble as far as I could see. The carcasses of cows and pigs floated like paper boats on a murky river, made stagnant by a huge pile of debris blocking its flow out into the ocean.

From talking with many people in makeshift shelters we met along the way, and families and local officials in evacuation centers, I sensed a common thread: Filipinos possess a tenacity that transcends trauma, and they are yearning to just get on with their lives.

They need immediate assistance: food, water, sanitation services and a roof over their heads. But they also want their children to be able to play and be kids again in safer surroundings. They want to be able to make a living again, so they can take care of themselves.

On my flight back to Cebu after an emotionally and physically exhausting trip, I reflected on what I experienced in Tacloban. The destruction is indeed akin to what we’ve seen in other parts of the world in recent years. But what’s even more similar is the dogged determination of the Filipino people to rebuild their lives from scratch, as soon as they can.

The Filipinos I met are drawing strength from their faith in God that tells them they were spared so that they can live meaningful lives. Even Alan — who eventually learned that his fiancée was killed in the storm — keeps his hopes high that his hometown will rise again.

Their outlook in life is inspiring and humbling, and I’m proud that Mercy Corps is here to help Filipinos rebuild their lives.

A wake up call: One typhoon survivor's story

25-year-old Joanna Sustento is from the city of Tacloban, Philippines. She is a Typhoon Haiyan survivor and is trying to make sense of the tragedy after she and her eldest brother lost their whole family to the storm. Joanna sought comfort and found a tool to heal through writing. It is through her stories that she aims to empower her community and hopefully the whole world, to resist and work for a future that will no longer fear or be threatened by the adverse impacts of climate change. This important message was directed to world leaders at the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2017 to take climate action  #foreverychild .

[Transcript]

It was 5 o’ clock on a Friday morning of November 8, 2013, when my family was awakened by the unnerving wailing of the ferocious winds. We thought it was just another normal stormy day, so we sat together on the dining table and had breakfast. As the wind and rain got stronger, we felt the house vibrate and tremble because of the pressure. When we looked outside, trees were already uprooted; our concrete walls were destroyed, windows cracked and all of a sudden murky waters came rushing in. In just a matter of seconds, the water rose to knee level. I rushed to my room to get my backpack filled with my stuff- it didn’t even take me 3 minutes to do that- but as I went out of my room, the water was already up to my chest. We had no other choice but to go out of the house or else we will be trapped inside. Due to the strong current rushing in, I had a hard time getting out of the house but my mom pulled me out.

As the water was rising, we struggled more to stay afloat, and it became more difficult to stay together. My elder brother- the one who survived- was the first one who got separated from us. He tried to swim for the floating ice box, so we could put my nephew inside but we failed to do that. I saw my sister-in-law drifting away from us while she held on to a tree branch. Then, I saw my nephew with a lifejacket on- floating behind his mom. I saw his father- my eldest brother swim to their direction. But everything was so hazy- I couldn’t see well because of the strong wind and rain, and it was as if crushed ice were being thrown at my face. My parents were the ones close in proximity, thus we held on to a log. At that point, I could see the worry in their eyes that they were trying to hide. I never expected that the last memory I would have with my father would be in the monstrous floods of Haiyan. I saw him trying to surface the waters, gasping for air- three times- and that was it, I never saw him again after that. Then, I saw a refrigerator floating, so I held onto it and let my mom hold it as well. We found ourselves at the building near the back of our house. The waves were crashing onto the refrigerator we were holding that I was being pushed under the steel trusses, I was afraid to be trapped so I pushed the refrigerator away and held onto a log instead; that was the time my mom and I got separated.

Striving to surface the water as piles of debris were blocking my head, I felt like I was being spun inside a washing machine. I could not breathe and I seriously thought I was going to die. Not knowing what to do, I told myself if that was the day I was going to my watery grave, then so be it. Never in my life have I talked to God with deep remorse and in complete surrender. However, death decided to “postpone”, I was given another chance to live. Using my head I pushed the debris away until I was able to surface. As soon as I saw my mother, I immediately drifted towards her, grabbed her arms and tried to lift half of her body so she could hold on to the wood I was using to stay afloat. But when my hands slipped from her arms to her fingers, her body splashed into the water and there was no sign of her struggling to survive.

My mom was gone.

I found myself being swept away by the 15 ft. high storm surge to the steel frames of a water tank, as my mother died in my arms. Then, I was forced to face a question I never thought I could ask myself in this lifetime- should I continue to hold on to my mom’s lifeless body and die with her? Or should I let her go and save myself?

I could not even begin to describe the agony, the desperation, the guilt, and the chaos running through my mind because I was torn between saving what’s left of my family and holding on for my dear life. But at the back of my mind, something told me that there must be a reason why I was able to survive the storm and no matter how insurmountable it may seem, I want to find out what that reason is.

Thus, with all the love that I had- I asked for my mom`s forgiveness for everything I did that hurt her. I thanked her being the strong woman that she is, and for everything she has done for our family. I told her I love her again and again, I embraced and kissed her for the last time.

And that was it- I let her go and I never looked back...

It was indeed an unbearable dilemma- to this day, I still ask myself if I had made the right choice or if I could have done something more because living without my family just did not make sense. More than thousands of people lost their homes, livelihood and properties. Most of all, Haiyan displaced millions and claimed thousands of lives- five of those are my parents, my eldest brother, my sister-in-law and my three-year old nephew. We never found our father and our nephew.

The horror brought about by Haiyan bred by the warming waters of the Pacific, did not stop there. Different alarming stories spread like wildfire causing unexplainable fear and paranoia. Access to medication and basic necessities such as food, water and shelter went scarce, and the dramatic soap-opera unfolding brought to us by our government and their political alliances and clan wars added salt to the wounds- leaving everyone- especially children- in jeopardy.

Every day since the onslaught, we were in a place we called home but we looked around, and tried to find the city that once was, and by the end of the day we come to terms with the heart-breaking reality that it’s no longer the same- and it never will be.

Here in the Philippines- as in any other country vulnerable to climate change impacts- when disasters happen, it is children who are at risk the most. They suffer a deep trauma from going through an experience they do not understand. Imagine a child who is looking forward to get an education only to find out his school is damaged and he cannot study anymore. Imagine a child who has no access to food, health and medical security because his parents` livelihood has been torn apart. Imagine a child who has nowhere to go because his home has been washed away. Imagine a child who used to love the ocean but he cannot even bear to look at it anymore because it is the same waters that took his family away from him. Imagine a child who no longer dreams for a future because he finds no reason to make something out of himself. Imagine a child who receives no financial and emotional support- a child who has been left with no choice but to fend for himself. Imagine a child who has no family to hold on to- a family that would shower him with love and care. Imagine a child- especially young girls- going all through the direct impacts of climate change and is forced to deal with another nightmare- as she is sold in exchange for food and other scarce supplies, exploited into forced labour with a promise of a good job or a scholarship in exchange for sex. Imagine it all because this is the reality that we live in- not only here in the Philippines but in other parts of the world.

While it is said that the children are our future, let us ask ourselves if our present actions and decisions address the current problems and threats children are facing today. Because if these are given ample significance, we will be able to give justice to our children and create a future that is worthy to look forward to- a future that will not deprive them of the wonderful things we enjoy today, a future that is not filled with experiences of running away from storms, a future growing up with family and friends filled with love, a future so bright and far from calamities that they would not be afraid to dream again, a future where they could play and practice their advocacies, a future where health, safety and education are consistent and within reach, a future where food security is abundant, a future where our children enjoy and value their basic right to a safe, clean and healthy environment. The drastic change will not happen immediately. It would take several years and some would say that this ambition is a long shot- a shoot to the moon- even almost impossible- but I know that I could never forgive myself if I do nothing because I have already seen and experienced the worst- so far. The wrath of Super Typhoon Haiyan is an example of what`s to come- and this is an  absolute injustice that should not be passed on to our children and future generations .

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Philippines typhoon survivors reflect on what it takes to begin again.

What does it mean to restart your life after disaster strikes? How do you rebuild your home when you’ve lost everything? When do you stop being afraid and start feeling hopeful again?

Exactly one year ago this weekend, Typhoon Haiyan (also called Yolanda) devastated the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and forcing millions from their homes. In the aftermath, storm survivors of all ages faced tough questions like these. And then, with the support of Oxfam and other aid groups, they began, together, the hard work of recovery. For many of the country’s poorest residents, the last 12 months have been a test of endurance as they struggle to rebuild their homes and make a living .

Oxfam’s Eleanor Farmer spoke to people from the hard-hit Tacloban region earlier this year about both their hardships and their hopes for the future. Excerpts of their responses are below.

Vanessa Margallo

“The water rose immediately. That’s why the houses here were totally damaged. … Some people went to higher places in the mountains and some were thrown away by the big waves and some dead bodies were carried down towards the ships over there. We went to find a higher place in the mountains and we stayed there, we waited for the level of the water to go down.

I lost my nephews and my niece – three of them. We only recovered one body, one nephew. My other nephews were afraid to go to school because they don’t have anyone to accompany them like they did before the typhoon, because they used to all go to school together. My children said ‘Mom, I don’t want to go to school again because my cousins are not with me.’ They were classmates, too.

After the typhoon we built a temporary house here. As a mother, I don’t want to go back [to our former home], because what will happen if the waves rise again, if the strong rain comes again? Maybe it will happen again. My children are very afraid it will happen again.

Oxfam played a big role helping us to move on. They provided clean, safe water and containers, latrines, and the hygiene kits. We were happy because a lot of things were inside there.

I am grateful for my children, my husband, my mother, my father. They are still here. We are OK as long as we are all alive. That’s why I think I’m living now. That’s why I keep moving and living. I thank god I survived. I’m thankful my family is still complete. That’s why I will continue to live.”

Gerard Bito

“My favorite superhero is Superman. He is the master of all superheroes. I would like to be superman because he flies so fast. I would fly to Eastern Samar (Philippines) and I could fly away if there was a storm. I like to play on the beach with my friends. We play paper airplanes and we like to portray small houses and pretend we are living in the sea. We make a circle out of sand and build small houses. The adults tell us to stop playing. Our houses are not easily destroyed.”

“We are helping each other to start rebuilding our lives. In fact, now my child has gone fishing. If the clearing is done and the ships are pulled away and the road is completely clear so we can travel around this area, our business might turn into something.

I want to have my livelihood back, to go fishing, to have my boat back and the machines that we are going to use in fishing so that we can have some extra income and start over again.

I [had] imagined that someday this kind of big storm might come, but we didn’t expect that it would come this soon. We evacuated when the water was already high and the ship had come to this area. The day before Yolanda, I was observing the weather and listening to the radio and preparing the things that we would need if we needed to evacuate.

Maybe there will be some big storms in 30 years. We are not that afraid any more. I’m not afraid, the waves are not that strong, the wind is not that strong, and some mountains can cover the strong winds, so I’m not afraid. I want to live here and so do my children. I will stay here with my family, because I was born here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jennifer and Rose Pablo

Jennifer : “Our house [was] totally destroyed; there [was] nothing left except the floor. After, we started rebuilding our house. We started with the wall, but we were missing some materials because my husband doesn’t have a source of income and after the typhoon we haven’t got enough money to rebuild our house.

This tarpaulin is very important to us because rain or shine it is useful. When we are eating, it’s really hard to eat in the tent because it’s really warm inside and when it rains the floor gets wet. The tarpaulin is really helpful and that’s why we have built a small temporary house so that when we eat we have somewhere we can eat which is dry and cool.

We want a stronger house, a stronger house, a stronger house. We want the house to have a strong foundation so we don’t feel nervous or get scared when there is a typhoon.”

Rose: “I am very happy that I am now staying in a house, and also we will not be afraid anymore if there are strong winds because we are living here.

I wanted to stay here because this is where I was born and this is where my parents started their lives and this is also where my grandmother died. If there is another typhoon we will go to the nearest school and stay there overnight, so in case there is a flood we will be able to survive again just like the last time.

I like it now because there are more houses, and people do gardening, and there [are] a lot of people helping us rebuild. I am looking forward to playgrounds and games for the kids so everyone will be happy, not only me.”

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Typhoon Haiyan: Four Questions About This Super Storm and Major Humanitarian Disaster

Subscribe to this week in foreign policy, elizabeth ferris elizabeth ferris former brookings expert, research professor, institute for the study of international migration - georgetown university @beth_ferris.

November 12, 2013

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Ferris wrote a follow-up to this post on Typhoon Haiyan and the failure of the Filipino government and the international community to respond immediately to the humanitarian crisis.

The images of coming out of the Philippines are shocking – the scope of the devastation and the depth of the humanitarian crisis left in Typhoon Haiyan’s wake is seemingly immeasurable. As I wait in airport lounges between flights, I am glued to television reports and Twitter posts coming from cities like Tacloban, which was largely flattened by the super storm. While the horrific first images bring tears to my eyes, my Twitter feed mostly reassures me — Oxfam, PACOM, World Vision, UNHCR, USAID and many aid groups are on their way. I receive regular bulletins from the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This is a disaster of enormous proportions, but OCHA is doing what it is supposed to do — coordinating donor contributions, sending regular updates, reporting on the establishment of humanitarian hubs, etc.

As I talk with reporters and try to put this tragedy into perspective, I’m struck by how some in the media see this disaster as a totally new phenomenon. So far, in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan — and after years of working on human displacement caused by major natural disasters — I don’t see anything new, although this disaster is certainly much larger than others resulting from the 20 or so cyclones the Philippines experiences every year .

I don’t know how things will turn out in this particular disaster — maybe it will be like the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan where the initial response was exemplary, but then the meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactor demonstrated that the scope of a disaster and the limitations of disaster response can reveal itself over a number of days. Things can always go terribly wrong.

Given that cautionary note, here are four questions to keep in mind as you watch news of the Typhoon Haiyan disaster unfold in the days and weeks ahead:

1. Why do initial government responses appear lacking?

Be wary of initial news reports, especially those of inadequate response by the government of the Philippines. While I’m sure valid reports of government missteps will emerge over time, the Philippine government has invested heavily in disaster preparedness and response. The Philippines has strong civil society organizations, including the Filipino Red Cross, and has practiced, drilled and prepared for disasters for years. I’ve always thought that the Philippines should be given the opportunity to be a leader in teaching other countries about disaster preparedness. In fact, hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated before the cyclone hit. However, there weren’t enough safe areas to accommodate all of the evacuees (remember that the Philippines is made up of thousands of islands). The government should be credited for doing the right thing and evacuating as many people as it could.

2. In some Philippine cities and towns, the images of looting by desperate people look terrible. How widespread is the looting?

Beware of stories about looting in this and other disasters. Looting is always a familiar disaster narrative in news reports. The extent of looting often turns out to be magnified by news coverage and greatly exaggerated after the disaster passes. Hurricane Katrina is a perfect case in point. A few stores sadly were extensively looted — the vast majority of businesses and homes were not.

3. Why does it seem that the poorest are always hit hardest by disasters?

Sadly, poor and marginalized populations always bear the brunt of natural hazards. Even in more stable times, the social safety net supporting these people is often minimal at best. This was true with Hurricane Katrina, true in the 2004 tsunami, true in the hundreds of natural disasters that go unreported or unnoticed each year. It is also true that local groups and communities carry out the bulk of initial response. As you watch the news, look for signs of local Filipino groups — neighbors, churches, local charities — responding quickly to the crisis.

4. Why do responses to disasters always seem late in coming and uncoordinated?

When you don’t know what’s happening, it’s easy to blame the lack of coordination. The truth is that coordination is always difficult when national and local governments are still assessing and communicating need. Lack of coordination is also often difficult for the best of reasons: lots of people and countries want to help but national disaster response capabilities (sometimes due to closed ports and airfields) and international capacities can be limited. Yes, let’s continue to work to improve coordination mechanisms, but let’s not be too quick to point the finger at coordination failures when other factors may be to blame.

Hoping that people appreciate the cautionary notes above, I am heartened as by the outpouring of compassion in response to Typhoon Haiyan. I am proud that USAID, the U.S. military and other branches of the U.S. government are mobilizing a robust response, and I am proud that the United Nations is responding quickly and effectively. I am glad that the media are covering this disaster and hope that Americans and others will respond quickly and generously to the desperate human need. This is a terrible tragedy and the humanitarian needs are great.

We should also keep in mind that, given the reality of climate change, we are likely to see more of these super-disasters in the future. They will be massive and more unpredictable. Disasters like Haiyan are likely to be the new norm. We need to get ready — all of us, Japan, the U.S., the Philippines and hundreds of other countries — as more of these super-disasters are coming our way.

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UN renews pledge to help Philippines recover from deadly typhoon

Just over a month since Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, the United Nations and its partners today agreed on the need to act quickly to help the affected communities rebuild their lives, as well as learn lessons from the international community’s response to the disaster.

“While our thoughts and prayers are with the people impacted by this deadly and violent typhoon, words are not enough,” Nestor Osorio, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said at the opening of the special meeting held at UN Headquarters.

“This is the time to show our solidarity with the Filipino people, and to demonstrate our commitment to helping the affected communities and people of the Philippines rebuild their lives.

Evidence suggests that while the number of people killed due to natural disasters has declined over the last 40 years, the world has witnessed an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters and the number of people affected.

“The cost of disasters goes beyond the damage to property and has immense economic and social impact on societies,” noted Mr. Osorio.

According to the latest estimates, Typhoon Haiyan has affected about 14 million people, displacing around 4 million. The Strategic Response Plan for Typhoon Haiyan presented by humanitarian partners is requesting $791 million funding, of which only 30 per cent has been funded.

In addition to discussing the immediate needs in the Philippines, the meeting also assessed what can be done to ensure effective delivery of assistance, and smooth transition from relief to development. It also examined how the UN system, regional and international organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector and the scientific community can assist in the relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts of the Government.

“We all agree that effective relief measures in the immediate aftermath of disasters are paramount to saving lives,” Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo said in remarks, delivered on his behalf by Navid Hanif, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination.

“While this must be our utmost priority at this point, we need to keep in mind that our efforts should also focus on reducing the risk of natural hazards’ turning into disasters. If death rates from disasters in developing countries are 20 times higher than in developed countries, this is clearly a development issue.”

He added that as the international community helps the Philippines recover from the typhoon, it needs to make it a priority to reduce the risk of natural hazards turning into disasters through increased investment in preparation and adaptation measures.

“This requires us to link relief to development strategies. In particular, a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development would help build resilience to natural disasters.”

Also addressing the special meeting, via videoconference, were Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström.

Source: UN News

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the Philippines

How to help typhoon victims.

International organizations launch relief efforts in the Philippines in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan

Families of indigenous Filipino Badjao seek refuge inside a gymnasium turned into an evacuation center during a heavy downpour brought by Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines' Cebu province on Nov. 8, 2013

Updated Monday, Nov. 11, 11:15 a.m.

Rescue and recovery organizations from around the world are pouring into the storm-battered Philippines, where Supertyphoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, inflicted widespread devastation. Up to 10,000 people are feared dead in the aftermath of the storm, which made landfall on Friday as one of the worst on record in the typhoon-prone nation. Nongovernmental organizations and charities are mobilizing to coordinate relief efforts, while much of the country waits without power, water or communications. Here’s how you can help:

If you’re looking or have information on a missing person, Google Person Finder has launched a Typhoon Yolanda page . A Google Crisis Map is also available for evacuation and relief information.

The mGive Foundation is collecting donations from U.S. wireless subscribers, who can text AID to 80108 to give a $10 donation to the organization’s Philippines Typhoon Diaster Relief Fund. Charges will appear on the user’s wireless bill or will be deducted from a prepaid balance. Text STOP to 80108 to stop or HELP for assistance. Full terms are available here .

UNICEF   is supporting relief efforts by helping displaced families find access to shelter, clean water, food and vaccines and airlifting $1.3 million of additional supplies from its Copenhagen warehouse. You can donate online , call 1-800-367-5437 or text RELIEF to 864233.

The Philippine Red Cross is providing a tracking service for family members looking for missing people. The organization is accepting donations on its website (100 PHP = $2.30) and is looking for volunteers to help assemble relief packages at its headquarters in Manila.

The American Red Cross   has also activated a family-tracking service for those looking for a missing family member in the Philippines. Donors can send a check to their local chapter, indicating “Philippines Typhoons and Floods” in the memo line.

The World Food Programme   is mobilizing 40 metric tons of high-energy biscuits and additional relief supplies, but it is also accepting donations online or by calling 1-202-747-0722 or +39-06-65131 from outside the U.S.

CARE is accepting donations on its website and has deployed workers to the Philippines to assist with emergency relief. You can donate by phone at 1-800-521-2273 or +1-404-681-2252 for international calls.

Oxfam has emergency responders on the ground to assist with relief support. The organization is asking for contributions to its Typhoon Haiyan Relief and Recovery Fund online.

International Medical Corps   is also on the ground to help assess damage and is accepting donations on its emergency-response page for Haiyan relief.

ChildFund International   is distributing clean water, food, blankets and other emergency aid items. Staff members are also setting up child-centered spaces in evacuation centers to offer counseling and relief for children and their families. Donate online .

Doctors Without Borders   has had 15 members of an emergency team in Cebu since Saturday. The organization is sending more staff to assist with medical and psychological treatment as well as items such as medical kits, vaccines and hygiene kits over the next few days. An additional cargo with an inflatable hospital and medical material is being prepared to leave later this week. Donate online .

The International Rescue Committee has also dispatched a team of aid workers to assist in assessing the damage and providing access to clean water and hygiene and sanitation needs. The organization is asking for donations online .

Typhoon Haiyan Cuts a Path of Destruction Across The Philippines

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Philippines

Typhoon survivors tell of homes destruction

by Mark Lang

A tangled mess of bamboo, rubble and palm trees confronts nine-year-old Imy when he returns to the remains of his family’s house.

The destructive power of typhoon Haiyan took off the roof and destroyed most of the walls. ‘I was so sad to see our home destroyed,’ said Imy.

His mum Elvira, 43, has been left reeling by the devastation. The family had few possessions before the storm hit the Philippines and now have even fewer.

‘The table and chairs we owned were all broken. Those were all the belongings we had,’ she said. ‘We knew a typhoon was coming, but we did not expect it to be so strong.’

When the typhoon struck the small town of Albuera, the family had moved to a local church for shelter, a decision that probably saved their lives.

But while they are thankful to have survived, they are homeless and their future is very uncertain.

Elvira is praying that God will provide them with a house and they will be able to pay the rent. But this will be very difficult in Albuera, as many houses are either completely destroyed or damaged and many families are homeless after the typhoon.

‘My hope is that someone will come and help our family, maybe other Christians,’ said Elvira, who only moved to the town with husband Lucriscio and their five children seven months ago.

They relocated from the mountains in the hope of a better life and the prospect of being able to send the kids to school. Prior to the storm, Elvira worked as a laundry woman and Lucriscio was a bicycle taxi driver but they found it difficult to pay the rent.

Manuel Jagourd, from Tearfund partner Medair, who met the family, said: ‘The only thing Elvira could do at this time was cry out loudly to God.’

On another part of Leyte island is a small church which is one of the few buildings still standing amid a mass of flattened homes, power poles and trees.

Part of the church roof was blown away in the typhoon but its walls proved an invaluable refuge for several families who are now homeless, such as Lito Managantan, 34, and wife Emmalyn Delantar, 25, along with their two boys, Mark Anthony, seven, and Justin, 11 months.

Emmalyn said, ‘If the pastor hadn’t opened the chapel, we would have stayed in our house and maybe we would have died. God saved us, welcoming us into his house.’

Recalling the force of the typhoon, Emmalyn said, ‘The roof of our house was shaking and a part was blown away. We were very afraid and the children too. They were crying.’

When asked about her future needs, Emmalyn replies simply: ‘I just want a small house where I can bring up my kids with dignity.’

Tearfund is supporting two partners in the Philippines as they respond to the typhoon aftermath and the emergency needs of food, clean water and shelter.

Tearfund partner Medair is starting a 90-day emergency relief project in Leyte from today which will help 120,000 people.

Aid will include:

•emergency shelter kits with tarpaulins, iron roofing sheets and ropes •household items for 24,000 people such as blankets, bedding, kitchen utensils •hygiene and sanitation kits, including water treatment sachets, soap, jerry cans, buckets, and plastic latrine slabs for 4,800 vulnerable households (24,000 people) •emergency health kits capable of providing emergency health care to 120,000 people for one month •supporting rural health facilities that have been damaged, and restore vital supply chains of necessary medicines and supplies

Tearfund partner World Renew is

•running a two week emergency food distribution in Ilo-ilo, Leyte and Samar targeting 4,000 families. It will also supply household, hygiene and sanitation items •supplying 4,000 families with emergency food items including rice, milk, coffee and sugar, as well as blankets and sleeping mats •providing access to clean water for 4,000 families

Oenone Chadburn, Head of Tearfund’s Humanitarian Support Team, said, ‘Aid is arriving for survivors but communications aren’t easy and there are areas where it is proving difficult to reach people.

‘Support is urgently needed by our partners to help the most vulnerable and I’d urge people to donate to our emergency appeal.’

You can make a donation to the Philippines appeal here.

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Write 300-word essay: Bail condition for Pune teen in Porsche crash that killed 2

The juvenile driver was detained and produced in court, where he was granted bail with certain conditions, which include assisting traffic police for 15 days and undergoing treatment from a psychiatrist..

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• Teen driver involved in fatal Pune accident granted bail
• Court orders driver to work with traffic police, undergo psychiatric evaluation
• Driver also mandated to assist accident victims in the future

A 17-year-old driver who was behind the wheel of a sports car involved in a deadly collision in Pune was granted bail by a juvenile court, subject to certain conditions. The accident, which took place early Sunday in Koregaon Park, claimed the lives of a couple on a two-wheeler.

• Working alongside traffic police for 15 days.
• Undergoing psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
• Writing a 300-word essay on the "effect of road accidents and their solution".
• Seeking rehabilitation at a de-addiction centre.
• Studying traffic rules and giving a presentation on the same to the Juvenile Justice Board.
• Assisting accident victims in the future, if he witnesses one.

A video surfaced online showing the teenager being thrashed by a crowd at the accident scene. An eyewitness told India Today that there were three people in the Porsche, but one of them fled the scene after the collision. All three occupants of the car were drunk, the eyewitness claimed.

The Yerawada police station registered a case against the driver under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Motor Vehicles Act, including rash driving and causing death by negligence.

Akhilesh Awadhiya, the uncle of one of the victims, Aneesh Awadhiya, said the bail conditions imposed on the minor were ridiculous and lashed out at the Maharashtra Police for inaction. He called the minor driver a "human bomb".

"According to the new act, the punishment should be seven years. Bail conditions are ridiculous. They are even taught to students of Class 5. He was driving a car worth Rs 3 crore. Just because he is the son of a business tycoon, he was released," Awadhiya said.

"He is a human bomb. If he is released today, tomorrow he could kill someone and escape. How his father allowed him to drive the car. His parents should be taken to court," he added.

Pune City Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar said a case was registered against the teen and the pub that served liquor to the minor. The Porsche that was involved in the accident was registered in the name of the minor's father.

"We registered a case under Section 304 (causing the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Since he was a minor, an application was made to the court that the minor should be tried as an adult. The court has rejected the permission," he said.

The CP said the police would appeal against the order in the district court and that action would be taken as per the court order.

"A separate case has been registered against the father of the minor and the person who gave him liquor. The minor had consumed alcohol. The CCTV footage has become clear," Kumar said.

"The car was registered in his father's name. We are investigating why there was no number plate and for how long the temporary number plate was there," he added.

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#ReliefPH: How to help communities affected by Typhoon Egay

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Egay (Doksuri) devastated communities in northern parts of Luzon after its landfall on Wednesday, July 26. 

Egay, the country’s fifth tropical cyclone in 2023, brought intense rain and winds as it strengthened into a super typhoon on Tuesday, July 25, and weakened to a typhoon the same day. Areas around several regions in the Visayas, Southern Luzon, and Metro Manila also braced the effects of the onslaught. 

Seeing the aftermath left by the typhoon, several groups and organizations are conducting donation and relief drive initiatives to help those affected.

MovePH, the civic engagement arm of Rappler, is collating and verifying donation drives and relief operations that can assist these affected communities.

Here is a running list of such efforts where you can extend your help:

ABS-CBN Foundation

The ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya is calling for monetary and in-kind donations for affected communities nationwide. 

Cash donations may be sent through the following channels:

Meanwhile, in-kind food and personal kit donations may be dropped off at #13 Examiner St., West Triangle, Quezon City, from 8 am to 5 pm. Contact Arlan Acebedo or Pat Salonga at 09695196436. 

The Association of Competent and Empowered CAR District DOST Scholars is accepting cash donations to help displaced families in Northern Luzon. 

You may send your donations here:

• GCash: 09473785528 – Divine Bianca Falculan (Benguet) OR 09171268659 – Cyrel Denzel T. (Abra)
• Landbank: 0627020740 – Divine Bianca Falculan (Benguet)

Angat Abra, in partnership with Torvas Philippines, Creatives With Leni, Ilocos Norte Tropang Angat, and Youth 4 Journalism, among others, is accepting cash and in-kind donations for communities in Abra.

You may refer to the following details below for donations.

Bikers For A Cause

The Philippine Marine Corps, through the Bikers For A Cause donation drive, is accepting in-kind donations like canned goods, rice, instant noodles, drinking water, and medicines for the victims of Typhoon Egay in Cagayan, Ilocos, and Batanes.

Interested donors may drop off any of these donations at Headquarters Philippine Marine Corps in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City or may contact CPT Rodilson Malic through 09684163663.

Damayang Migrante

Relief organization Damayang Migrante accepts cash and in-kind donations for communities in Isabela. 

Cash donations may be sent through the following:

• BPI: 4649269462
• GCash: 09950855513

Donors are requested to indicate the note “DM EGAY” or message them on their Facebook page for acknowledgement. 

Meanwhile, in-kind donations may be dropped off at Balai Obrero Foundation, #63 Narra St., Brgy. Claro, Proj. 3, Quezon City.

Volunteers may also sign up here.

Dammang Elementary School, Sanchez Mira

Dammang Elementary School in Sanchez Mira launches “Piso para sa Yero ng Klasrum ko” to help rebuild their damaged classrooms in Cagayan. Kindly message their Facebook page for monetary donations. 

DeMolay National Congress

The DeMolay National Congress is calling for cash donations to aid families in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. 

You may deposit your donations to:

• BDO: 0012 7178 5429 (Adriane Andongo)
• BPI: 1949 5665 75 (Adriane Andongo)

Please send proof of your donation for transparency concerns. 

Divine Word College of San Jose Disaster Response Team

The College Student Council of Divine Word College of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro is accepting in-kind and monetary donations. 

Donations may be dropped off at Divine Word College of San Jose at General Lukban Street, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Meanwhile, cash donations are accepted via GCash at 09958830261 Ana Mae Tividad.

DOST Mobilized Amianan Youth Scholars’ Association

The Department of Science and Technology Mobilized Amianan Youth Scholars’ Association has launched a donation drive for communities in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. 

Available drop off points and channels for cash donations may be accessed below. 

For our Farmers PH

Youth-led organization For our Farmers PH calls out for monetary donations to aid local farmers and fisherfolk in Cagayan, Isabela, and Pangasinan. 

Donations may be sent through the following QR codes. Donors are requested to send a copy of the transaction receipt for the OR and donation certificates.

We Are GCash, in partnership with the Ayala Foundation, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc, GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc, and UNICEF Philippines, among others, is calling out for monetary donations for affected families in Northern Luzon. 

Scan through the QR codes below to donate.

JCI Bacolod, Inc.

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bacolod in Negros Occidental activated its Oplan Kaagapay. 

They are accepting monetary donations through:

• GCash: 09275448456 (Daisy Rose Sia)
• BPI: 1329222218 (Daisy Rose Sia)

In-kind donations such as canned goods, rice, drinking water, hygiene kit, sleeping mattresses, clothes and slippers may be dropped off at the following locations:

• Technological University of the Philippines – Visayas (Talisay City) – Guard House
• Browtiful Unit 110 KYLT Building, La Salle Avenue, Bacolod City
• Sweet Dreams (UNO-R branch), Bacolod City
• Bago City Coliseum

JCI Cagayan Valley

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) in the Cagayan Valley is accepting monetary donations for Typhoon Egay victims in the Ilocos region.

Cash donations may be coordinated with Pamela Yambao at 09190986113 or Phoebe Yu Adela at  09976317256.

GCash donations can be sent at 09976317256 (Phoebe A.)

Kabataan Partylist Ilocos

Kabataan Partylist Ilocos has launched “Bente para sa Norte,” to help displaced individuals in La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte. 

You may send your donations at:

• UnionBank: 1096 5665 9403 (Angelica Galimba)
• Gcash: 0909-442-0717

Kasiyana: Youth in Action

Youth organization KASIYANA-Tulong Kabataan is calling for cash donations to aid affected communities in Northern Luzon. 

You can donate through:

• Gcash : 0929 197 2185 (Franz Erick Calanio)
• Metrobank: 460 3 460 00205 3 (Deanna Louise Montenegro) 
• Paymaya: 0926 746 3958 (Deanna Louise Montenegro)
• BPI: 9699 2038 55 (Franz Erick Calanio)
• BDO: 0018 3106 7127 (Kamiya Raya Sicnawa)
• Unionbank: 1094 2566 0471 (Xandrea Roeverhl Mandapat)

LoveYourself

Community organization LoveYourself is launching a relief drive to assist affected families of Typhoon Egay. 

In-kind donations such as non-perishable food items, hygiene products, clean clothes, blankets, towels, and first aid supplies can be donated at any LoveYourself Hub Donation Box branches, until Saturday, July 30. 

Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines

Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Incorporated. is currently accepting cash donations for communities in Abra. 

You may send this through:

• BDO: 0030000-55279
• BPI: 3001-0040-33
• Metrobank: 270-3-27050273-4
• Unionbank: 00-216-072163-9

Raniag ken Boses iti Agtutubo Ilocos Sur

Ilocos-based youth organization Raniag ken Boses iti Agtutubo Ilocos Sur, in partnership with several regional organizations, is accepting monetary donations. 

Here are the available channels for donation: 

• GCash: 0908 479 7792 (Pamlea Forona)
• Landbank: 2526-1500-69 (Lendon H. Amandra)

Rotaract Club and Rotary International District 3800

Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3800 and Rotary International District 3800 launch a donation drive accepting in-kind and monetary donations for the flash flood victims in Cardona, Rizal.

For interested donors, you may send your donations via GCash to 09279171376 via Levin Emanuelle Landingin – Chair for Service Projects. 

In-kind donations such as food, clothing, and bedding can be dropped off at the Rotary Club of Cardona Clubhouse in Rizal.

Rotaract Club of Lakeshore Rizal

The Rotaract Club of Lakeshore Rizal accepts cash and in-kind donations for affected families in Cardona, Rizal until the morning of July 28, Friday. 

Donations may be communicated on their Facebook page or via phone call at 09957225340. 

St. John’s Institute Supreme Student Council

St. John’s Institute (SJI) Supreme Student Council opens the “Heart to Hearth” donation drive to aid affected SJI faculty members in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. 

The group is accepting in-kind donations such as groceries, personal and hygiene items, clothing, and first-aid supplies until Monday, August 7, at 5 pm. Donations can be dropped off at SJI Learner’s Support Center donation boxes.

UNP – Future Physician’s Circle

The University of Northern Philippines Future Physician’s Circle has launched the “Kapit Bisig” initiative to accept cash donations. Here are the following channels:

• Land Bank of the Philippines: 0226 5031 88 (Regis Eliav S. Quilala)
• BPI: 0069856764 (Abigail R. Sto. Domingo)
• BDO: 006180209625 (Jethro Miguel Alexzeb Sorizo)
• PNB: 223610100773 (Melci Fa Keren)
• G-Cash: 09612192934 (Judy Ann Agwas)
• Maya: 09479607536 (Clarise Ello)

VMAGC- Community Extension and Development Office

The Community Extension and Development Office of VMA Global College and Training Centers extends its community services by holding a donation relief drive in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. 

Non-perishable relief items such as clothing, hygiene and personal necessities, food, and first-aid supplies are accepted to assist families affected by Typhoon Egay. 

Kindly contact Chester John C. Ferrer of the Research, Extension, and Development Office (REDO) at 09673250422 or on Facebook (Ser CeeJay Ferrer) for donation concerns and assistance.

Youth Crisis Response Team

Volunteer group Youth Crisis Response Team is launching a donation drive which accepts monetary and in-kind donations for communities in Abra, Ilocos Sur, and La Union. 

Donations may be communicated through the following channels:

• RCBC:  9043296502 – Claire Marie V Rasco
• GCash: 09292000596 – Claire Marie Rasco or 09192095476 – Princess Mae Dela Cruz

Volunteers are also accepted. 

— with reports from Anamarie Antolin and Amiel Antonio/Rappler.com

Do you know of other relief initiatives for communities affected by Typhoon Egay? Email them to  [email protected]

Anamarie Antolin and Amiel Antonio are Rappler interns studying BA Journalism at the Bulacan State University – Main Campus.

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